When the last steel beam is lifted into place at the new Sparrow Ionia Hospital, it will be adorned with a multitude of familiar signatures.

Several hundred people who attended the hospital's annual Caregiver Appreciation Picnic Aug. 7 used permanent markers to write their names and messages on the beam, spray-painted white for the occasion.

The hospital holds a picnic every year — this is the final one on the Lafayette Street grounds — to honor its "caregivers," or employees, said Laurie Tjalsma, the hospital's director of community relations and marketing. Advocates, volunteers and members of the hospital board and the foundation board also are invited.

"This time was a little bit different, because we had our steel beam at the hospital," Tjalsma said. "When we have our topping-off ceremony (at the new location), one of the beams will be one that everyone signed."

In addition to employees and volunteers, oncology patients and family members came across the street to add their names.

"It truly was a community event," said Tjalsma

The beam will be brought to the hospital's golf outing Friday, Aug. 15 at Willow Wood Golf Club in Portland, and hospital supporters there can sign it as well "so we can carry on the legacy," she said. "Our names will be up there."

The new 65,000-square-foot hospital, to be located off M-66 north of David Highway, will have 22 patient rooms, outpatient services including chemotherapy and infusion lab; X-ray; nuclear medicine; emergency department with private patient rooms, triage area and two trauma rooms; surgery department with two operating rooms; administrative offices, a cafeteria and an education center. The $25 million project is "pretty much on target" for its end of May-early June 2015 opening, Tjalsma said.

"We wanted to have it enclosed by the end of October and take the whole winter and work on the inside," she said. "We'll see how they do over the winter."